Metallic fence



(No Model.)

C. HANIKA. METALLIC FENCE.y

No. 330,583. Patepted Nov. 17, 1885;

W1* E5 ses:

Frio.

Arana CHRISTIAN HANIKA, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

METALLIC FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,583, dated November 17, 1885.

Application tiled September 1, i884. Serial No. 141,901. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OHRIsrIAN HANIKA, of the city of Springfield, county of Clark, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fences, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in metallic fences, and is especially intended as an improvement upon that class of fence described and claimed in United States Patent No. 289,253, dated November 27, 1883, heretofore granted to me, to which reference may be had.

As will be noticed in the patent referred to, the picket, which is extended through an opening in the picket-supporting rail, is provided with a notch in its periphery,which is pressed into engagement with the supportingrail by means of a locking-plate at the opposite side of the rail depending from and forming a part integral with the scroll which holds the picket and rail together. It will also be noticed that the scroll is bowed out to clear the flange of the supporting-rail, and is'providedwith lugs to extend around the iiange to hold the said supporting-rail in place.

The chief object of niy invention is to do away with projecting lugs, and to provide a locking device the main body of which will be in prac-tice substantially in a line with a central longitudinal line drawn through the picket and picket-supporting rail, and which shall ,come in contact with the rail above and below at the central point of the said supportingrail, to hold the samejirmlyin place, and to so construct the said locking-scroll that a portion of the same may be pressed into a notch formed in the picket, which prevents longitudinal and rotary movement of the said picket. By-the construction herein shown I am enabled to do away with lugs and projections heretofore common in this class of iron fence, and to provide a locking device of cheaper construction and greater durability, and one which may be adjusted and attached with greater ease and accuracy.

My invention consists in the combination, in an iron fence having a punched picketsupporting rail and a notched picket, of a locking device or scroll provided with picketholding eyes at its either end, and. so shaped as to bear upon the lpicket holding rail above an d below at the center of thesaid rail, or substantially so, thereby providing a wide bearing for the same, and insuring great rigidity of parts, substantially as hereinafter described; and my invention also consists in details of construction, all as will be herein after particularly set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 represents in front elevation a portion of an iron fence embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a section on dotted line x x, Fig. l; and Fig. 4, details of the picket and picket-supporting rail.

In the construction of a fence in accordance with my invention the picketsupporting'rail Ais provided with`a series of picket-openings, A', to permit the passage of the pickets B, and the said pickets B are provided with a notch or notches, B', substantially las shown and described in the patent hereinbefore referred to. rIhe picket-supporting rail A will preferably be of the channel7 shape in cross-sectionthat is to say, a rail having a horizontal web with depending parallel edge anges, this shape being best adapted to the purpose of this invention. The locking-plate C, or ornamental scroll of any suitable material, is provided with eyes C at opposite ends, which encircle the picket B above and below the supporting-rail A. lhe locking-plate O may be ofV various configuration, and more or less ornamental. As shown in the drawings, the side webs, D, extend out at an angle to the picket B from the loops or eyes C', to their points of contact with the supporting-plate, as in ornaments of ordinary construction of a similar class. As will be noticed, however, the side ribs or webs, D, which constitute the main body of the locking plate C, extend downwardv fromthe upper eye, O', directly or nearly in a line with the center of the rail A, until they come in contact with it,where they are bent to fornibearings E for the said supporting-rail A, these bearings E (see Fig. 2) extending from the center of the said rail A to and around its outer edge to a point below the rail in a central line to the picket,where they are extended, as above, and terminate in the lower loop or eye, C. This construction in itself is of great importance, as it gives a IOO very wide and rigid bearing for the rail A,

and concentratesstrains which may be exerted upon the fence upon the parts best adapted to bear them. Connected to and forming a part integral with the locking-scroll C centrally is a depending locking-piece, F, diverging from the main body of the scroll sufficiently to clear the picket. This locking-piece F consists of the arms F Fwhich connect with the webs D of the scroll, and terminate in a bearing, G, of similar shape to bearings E, which bearing G is adapted t0 be bent inwardly around the edge of the supporting-plate A at the side opposite to the side bearings, E, and engage said rail. At the junction of the arms F F2 of the locking-piece F is a projection or edge, H, which, as the bearing G is pressed into contact with the rail A, enters the notch B of the picket and securely locks the parts in place. The provision of the locking-piece F, to engage directly with the picket B or its notch and act as a support for the supportingrail A, is a `very important feature in this invention, as it enables me quickly to adjust the parts of the fence and secure them in place.

In setting up my improved fence, the scroll or locking plate U is` slipped over the supporting-rail A from its ends, the bearing E of the'scroll supporting the said picket-supporting rail, the hearing G being normally bent outward away from the said rail, after which the picket B isslipped through the eyes Gof the scroll and the picket-opening A in the rail, the notch B of the picket being turned t0 face the locking-piece F. The lockingpiece is then bent backward until its inner edge, H, enters the notch in the picket and its bearing G comes to place around the rail A, which completes the operation and rnily secures the several parts together.

I do not desire to claim a depending fillingpiece or locking-plate to press the picket forward to engage the notch therein with the web of the supporting-rail, as described and claimed in the Patent No. 289,253, hereinbefore referred to.

1. The punched rail A, and picket B, having a notch, B, combined with a scroll for locking the two together, comprising eyes C C', webs orl ribs D, Haring outwardly in opposite directions from said eyes and having bearings E, engaging the same side of said rail and interposed between and connecting said webs or ribs, vand a locking-piece engaging said rail upon the opposite side and co-operating with the notch of the picket, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, in a metallic fence, of a picket-holding rail provided with picketopenings, a picket with a notch in its periphery, substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the rail, and a locking device or scroll having eyes at opposite ends encircling the picket,

Webs extending from end to end of the scroll and having side bearings engaging the rail on one side and a bearing for the rail on the opposite side bent about and under the rail, and provided with a locking-piece engaging, the notch in the picket, substantially as described.

3. A scroll or plate, C, provided with bearings O' C at opposite ends, side websor ribs, D, provided with bearings E E at right-angles to the webs or ribs, a lockingpiece, F, having a bearing, G, and locking projection H therefrom, combined with a rail and notched picket, substantially as described.

4. In a metallic fence, the combination,wit h the supporting rail A, provided with the picket opening, and the picket B, notched peripherally, as described, of the lockingscroll C, having bearings E, adapted to engage and support therail at one side, as shown, and

the locking-piece F, integral withsaid-scroll,

and having bearing G, adapted to engage and support the opposite side of the rail A, and having a free end adapted to be pressed into the notch of the picket to hold the parts firmly, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Springfield, Ohio, this 15th day of August, A. D. 1884.

CHRISTIAN HANIKA. [L s] In presence of- I?. J. GLEVENGER, N. E. C. WHITNEY. p 

